Sheet-feeding apparatus



June 8 1926.

A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 22, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 o ii S W MW i a a l\ 0 R p O g o p o O o W azbert'firaa a June 8 1926.

A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Fil 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm W A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS June 8 1926.

Filed Nov. 22 1923 5 Sheets-Skeet 5 June 8 1926.

A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fiver-afar dlibrney June 8 1926. 1,587,816

A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1923 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 m 1mm:

t H u EB N BY 5% A i 5' his 25% g Patented June 8, 1926.

U NI '1 SE5 uremia;

ALBERT BROADMEYER, or HARRISBURG,

HICKOK MANUFACTURING GOMBANY, or HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A eon- IPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR mo H'IHE we 0.

SHEET-FEEDING- APPARATUS. i l I The present invention relates to sheet feeding apparatus, and one of the principal objects is to provide means of a novel character that will effect the separation of the sheets and insure their being individually delivered while being maintained i in a smooth unwrinkled condition.

In the accompanying drawings is. dis-v larged scale,

Figure 3 is a top plan view,

Figure-4 is a detail perspective view,-

Figure is a longitudinal sectionalview through-the suction roller,

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure-7 is a detail sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 3,

Figure 8 is'a front elevation of one of the air blast delivery nozzles,

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line Figure 10 is a view in elevation of the vent-controlling means for the supply conduit to the blast head,

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view therethrough,

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view of the supporting clamp and carrying arm for the blasthead,

Figure 13 is a detail perspective view of Application filed: November 22,1923. Serial No; 676 2.83. A

is inclined oppositely to the table 18, and is raversed .by the upper. stretch of an endless belt: 21 that moves-downwardly. Means,

designated generally by the reference-numeral22 are provided at the adjacent ends. ot the table for transferring sheets from one to the other, As the mechanism :di'sclosedi's substantially that constitutingithe subject matter of co-pending application, Serial; No.-.

eraser, filed. Nov. ,12, 1923-,and asithiszmecl'ia anismocan be modified in yariOu'swaysit is believed to be unnecessary to moreifullypde i scribe the same.

The subjectmatter of the present inven ticn comprises means ,for delivering the sheets from-the lower end ofthe feedltable" 18, to insure that only one willbeiremoved at a time.

Located at the delivery end ofthe. belt: Y

19 is an abutment plate 23--that,inclines ups wardly and rearwardly withirespect; to the belt and has extending from its rear edge an open grid. This grid consists of spaced longitudinally disposed wire-fingers 24, the,

rear ends? of which are located adjacent to suitable 'ofl 'take, mechanism, as for example, belts or tapes 25. Cooperating withthese belts ,or tapes are rollers 26.- The i said plate 23 and fingers 24 thus constitutea support that bridges the space between the belt 19 and the belt 25.

Extending transversely over this support is a driving shaft 27 a carrying a rotary suct-ion roller 28 that constitutes the subjectroller 28 is provided with sets of intake .or

suction ports 29 opening into internal longitudinally on an exhaust conduit 37 10-,

cated in rear of the shaft- 27 and parallel thereto. The bore 37 of this conduit terminates in a longitudinal slot 38 that is covered, by the sleeve 36" and the neck 35 has a passageway 39 that afiords communica matter of a Patent No. 1,494,303. The said.

tion between the slot 38 and the port 32. The conduit 37 is connected by a pipe 40 to a vent head 41, terminating in a nipple 42 that can be attached by a hose, indicated at 43, to the intake of an air pump, not shown. The head 41 has a vent 44 adapted to be controlled by a swinging closure plate 45 pivoted on said head 41.

Cooperating with the suction roller 28 1s a stripper plate 46, preferably made of sheet metalfand hung from the sleeve 36 by suitable brackets 47. This stripper plate has an opening 48 through which the lower portion of the suction roller 28 passes, and at the rear side of said opening 1s an upturned curved flange 49 that lies close to said roller 28.

Jo-urnaled in the frame below the grid is a rock shaft 50 that can be'turned by a handle lever 51 secured to its outer end. This handle lever has an arcuate slot 52,

through which is passed a set screw 53, by

which the lever and consequently the rock shaft, can be fixed in different positions. The lever carries a crank arm 54 located beneath the grid, this crank arm being adj ustable along and around the shaft and being held in adjusted position by a set screw 55. Embracing the free end of the crank arm 54 is a pair of clamping jaws 56 that can be drawn together by tension screws 57. Clamped between these jaws is the depending tubular stem 58 of a blast head 59 terminating in upstanding nozzles 60 locatedbelow and adjacent to the side margins of the stripper plate 46 and beneath the open grid. These nozzles have internal chambers 61 and their upper ends preferably have inclined top walls 62. The rear walls of the nozzles have vertical slots 63 of less width than the chambers and forming outlet port-s. The depending stem 58 constitutes a nipple for the reception of a flexible conduit 64 connected to a valve casing 65 that terminates in a depending nipple 66. This nipple66 receives the end of a supply hose 67 coupled to the discharge or pressure side'of the air pump. The valve casing 65 includes a rotary controlling valve 68 and furthermore has a vent 69 below said valve. Thevent is controlled by a swinging closure plate 70 pivoted between its ends, as shown at 71 above the vent69. The two vent closure controlling plates 45 and 70 are connected to a common operating rod 72, said rod being preferably pivoted, as shown at 7 3, to the lower end of the plate 45 and a link 7 4 connecting the rod .72 withthe upper end of the closure plate 70. With this construction. by moving the rod 72 in one direction, it will be evident that the two vents will be opened, as shown in Figure 4, and by moving the rod in the opposite direction, said vents may be closed.

For the purpose of preventing two sheets beingvfed simultaneously from the machine, retarding devices may be employed. On each side of the table 18 are located threaded rods or shafts 75 having gears 76 meshing with the gears 77 of a transverse actuating shaft 78, this shaft being proviced with an actuating handle crank 79. Carried by the rods 75 are standards 80, to which are pivoted freely-swinging arms 81. The free ends of the arms are bifurcated, as shown at 82, and are provided with transverse pivots 83. On said pivots are mounted freely swinging retarding shoes 84 having internal chambers 85, and roughened lower surfaces 86, through which. are formed ports 87 that communicate with the chambers 85. The chambers are also in communication with upstanding nipples 88, to which are connected air exhaust hose 89 i i As is well known, in the form of appara tus disclosed, the sheets are delivered to the discharge end of the feed table 18. with their margins projecting in stepped relation, the uppermost sheet being farthest advanced, aS indicated in Figure 2. Assuming that the pump connected to the hose lines 43 and 67 is in operation and the vents 44 and 69 are closed, air blasts will be delivered from the nozzles 60 upwardly through the grid and against the projecting ends of the paper sheets. These sheets therefore will be separated. At this point, it may be explained that it has been found that the narrow slotted outlet ports 63 of the nozzles distribute or spray the air blast outwardly, so that the action of the air will extend over a relatively wide area. As the sheets are advanced the uppermost will come into contact with the underside of the suction roller 8, and as said suction roller is revolving, the sheet will be caused to be moved by said roller over the grid until it is caught by the tapes 25 and rollers 26. In this operation the shoes 84 will rest upon the top of the pile of sheets passing beneath them and will be free to move up and down, accord ing to the surface condition of the sheets. As the uppermost sheet is drawn from beneath the shoe 84, said shoe will drop upon the rear end of the sheet below it, and will hold or retard the movement of said sheet with the topmost sheet and thereby prevent twoof said sheets being fed out of the machine simultaneously.

\Vhere heavy sheets, such as cardboard, are employed which will not always be raised by the air blast beneath so as to come into contact with the suction roller 28, elevating blocks may be employed, as shown in Figures 4 and 13. These blocks preferably consist of strips 90 that are tapered and have angularly disposed portions adapted to rest upon the inclined abutment plate 23 and over these blocks, their front ends will be elevated sufliciently to come into contact with the peripheral surface of the suction roller 28. The maybe detached when not needed for ordinary sheets, such as relatively light paper.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction,- and operation and many advantages ofthc herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, audit will be understoodthat various changes in thesize, shape, proportion and minor details of crmstruction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit'or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

lVhat I claim is':

1. In sheet feeding apparatus, the com-.

bination with an up *ardly and rearwardly inclined wall against which a plurality of sheets rest,=of an open grid in rear of said inclined wall, means for delivering a blast of air through the grid in-rear of the inclined wall :and against the rear ends of said sheets as they successively pass thereovcr from the .wall, and means for removing the :top sheets and passing vthem: over the grid.-

2.In-sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with anupwardly and rearwardly inclinedwall against which a pluralityof sheets rest,0f an open grid in rear: of said inclined wall, means for deliveringablast of'air throug-l-i the gridin rear of the Wall and. against the rear ends: of said sheets asthey pass overthe grid, and a rotary suction roller operating-over the grid for-removing and delivering thetopmost sheets.

o. In sheet feedingapparatus, the-combination with a shaft, of a rotary suction roller adjustable longitudinally of the shaft, arod parallel to the shaft, and a stripper plate slidable on said rod and having anopening through which the suction roller passes.

L. In sheet "feeding apparatus,- the combim nation with a shaft, of a rotary suction roller adjustable longitudinally of the shaft, a rod parallel to the shaft and constituting an:

rec ting a blast of air upwardly through the grid at both ends of the roller.

6:111 sheet feeding.apparatus, the war bination with a grid, of a suction, roller for n'i-oviug sheets thereover, means for direct' ing a blast of air upwardly through the grid at both ends" of the roller, and astrii per coacting with the roller and located above the grid.

7. In sheet feeding apparatus, thecombination with a grid, of ;a suction roller above the same, a stripper plate above the grid, said roller depending through the plate, and means for directingblasts of air through the-grid and on opposite sides of the stripper plate at both ends of the roller.

8. In sheetfeeding, apparatus, the combination with an upwardly inclined abutment plate, and spaced fingers extending rearWardly therefrom and forming a grid, of a suction roller above the grid, a stripper plate ofless Width than the grid and having an opening through which-the lower portion of the suction roller extends, and a blast head having spaced delivery nozzles for projecting air upwardly through the grid on opposite sides of the stripper plate.

9. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with an upwardly inclined abutment plate, and spaced fingers extending rearwardly therefrom and forming a grid, of'a suction roller above the grid, a stripper plate of-less width than the grid and havingan openingthrough which the lower por tionof the suction roller extends, and a blast head having spaced delivery nozzlesfor pro jecting air upwardlythrough the grid on opposite sides of the stripper plate, said roller, stripper plate and blast head being adjustable to different positions with respect to the'grid.

10. In sheet feedingapparatus, the com bination with sheet delivery means, of sheet separating means comprising a blast head havinga stem, and spaced air blast delivery nozzles, a supporting clamp embracing the stem,--and an air supplyconduit connecting the stem.

11.; In sheet, feeding apparatus, the combinationwi-th sheet delivery means, of sheet separating means comprising a blasthead having a depending stem and spaced upstandingair blast delivery nozzles, a supporting clamp embracing the stem, and an air supply conduit connecting the stem below the clamp;

12; Insheet feeding apparatus, the combination with sheet delivery means, of sheet separating means comprising a blast head having an air blast delivery nozzle, a rock shaft,1means for moving the shaft and holding it in: different. positions, a crank arm carried by the rockshaft, and a mounting for the blast-head adjustably mounted on the-crank arm. I

18. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combinationwith sheet delivery means, of sheet separating means comprising a blast head having a depending stem and spaced upstanding air blast delivery nozzles, a roclc shaft, means for turning the rock shaft and holding it in different positions, a crank arm carried by the rock shaft, and clamping jaws embracing the stem of the blast head and the crank arm.

14:. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with. a support, over which pass sheets, of a suction roller for successively moving the sheets over the support and located above the same in spaced relation thereto, and directing blocks detachably mounted on the support and adapted to raise the heavier sheets substantially into contact with the roller.

15. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support comprising an inclined abutment plate, and an open grid composed of spaced fingers, of a suction roller for successively moving the sheets over the support and located above the same in spaced relation thereto, and directing blocks clamped on the rear margins of the abutment plate and extending above the grid fingers to raise the heavier sheets substantially into contact with the roller.

16. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a plurality of sheets, .of means for delivering the sheets successively from the support, and means for separating the sheets comprising a nozzle having an internal chamber, and means for supplying air under pressure to the chamber, said nozzle having an outlet orifice comprising a slot opening from the chamber and narrower than said chamber.

17. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a plurality of sheets, of means for delivering the sheets successively from the support, means for separating the sheets comprising a head having spaced nozzles, each having an internal chamber and an outlet orifice comprising a slot opening from the chamber and narrower than said chamber, and means coupled to the head for supplying air under pressure to the chambers of both nozzles.

18. In sheet feeding apparatus the combination with a suction roller, of a blast creating nozzle and means for directing sheets between them, of a conduit for withdrawing air from the suction roller, having a vent, a conduit for supplying air under pressure to the nozzle, having a vent, and common means for controlling said vents.

19. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a suction roller, of a blast creating nozzle and means for directing sheets between them, of a conduit for withdrawing air from the suction roller, having a vent, a conduit for supplying air under pressure to the nozzle, having a vent, closures for said vents, and common actuating means for the closure.

20. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a suction roller, of a blast creating nozzle and means for directing sheets between them, of a conduit for withdrawing air from the suction roller, having a vent, a conduit for supplying air under pressure to the nozzle, having a vent, pivotally mounted closures for each vent, and an operating rod having connections for both closures.

21. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a plurality of sheets, of means for successively delivering the topmost sheets from the support, a suction drag shoe that operates on the sheets to prevent them being delivered simultaneously by the delivering means, and means for creating suction in said shoe.

22. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a plurality of sheets, of means for successively delivering the topmost sheets from the support, a suction drag shoe that operates on the sheets to prevent them being delivered simultaneously by the delivery means and having a port in its underside across which the sheets pass, and means for creating suction through said port.

23. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a plurality of sheets, of means for successively delivering the topmost sheets from the support, a suction drag shoe that operates on the sheets to prevent them being delivered simultaneously by the delivering means, means for creating suction in said shoe and means for supporting said shoe to permit it to freely rest upon the sheets.

24. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combichamber opening through the underside of the shoe, said underside resting on the sheets, and means for exhausting air from the shoe. I

25. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a plurality of sheets, of means for delivering sheets from the support, a holder adjustable longitudinally along the support, a shoe movably connected to the support and having a chamber opening through the underside of the shoe, said underside resting on the sheets, and means for exhausting air from the shoe.

26. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a'support for a plurality of sheets, of means for delivering sheets from the support, a standard alongside the sup- .port, a holding arm pivoted to the standard,

means for adjusting the holder and holding it in different positions With respect to the support.

27. In sheet feeding apparatus, the combination with a support for a plurality of sheets, of means for delivering sheets from the support, a standard alongside the sup port, a holding arm pivoted to the standard, a shoe pivoted to the arm and having a chamber opening through the underside of the shoe, said underside resting on the sheets, means for exhausting air from the shoe, and means for adjusting the standard, along the support longitudinally of the direction of movement of the sheets.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

ALBERT BROADMEYER. 

